1. One place where one may consider positive psychology to be relevant is in education. Napoli et al tested the effects of a mindfulness programme on school children aged approx 6-10 years old and found that compared to a control group, the children that received the mindfulness training showed reduced test anxiety and increased levels of concentration, suggesting that positive psychology programmes can be very useful in a school setting. Similar results were also found in Wellington college in students aged 13-15 who were given a ‘stillness session’ each day and saw an increase in top A Level grades from 69% to 93%. However, some have criticised these pieces of research as they are often small scale and short term interventions that are not controlled and therefore cause and effect cannot be established and even Seligman himself claims that there should not be the widespread introduction of mindfulness in schools until more research is conducted.
In conclusion, positive psychology in the form of mindfulness can be very useful and relevant in school for a wide range of ages and leads to a range of positive effects. However its use must be more widely tested in a more scientific manner before we can be sure it will be relevant in all contexts.
2. Positive psychology has also been used in the world of work. It is suggested that by improving the work environment to accommodate key aspects of positive psychology, employers would see improvements in performance, motivation and creativity. For example, employers could make more of an effort to appreciate their employees' character strengths or they could introduce mindfulness programmes. A report published by CNBC (2012) found that of the employees who regularly participated in their workplace wellness programmes, over half said they were more productive and 30% reported taking fewer sick days. Statistic such as these suggest that positive psychology has the potential to be very relevant in today’s society although it is important to note that there is a lack of robust scientific research into its effects. In addition, such programmes can cost money to employers and therefore they may be reluctant to introduce them. Also it could be argued that it is not new knowledge to suggest that employees that are happy will work harder.
As a result, more research is needed on a larger scale to establish whether we really can call positive psychology relevant in the workplace. However in a society where people are working increasingly long hours it could be argued that it has never been more relevant than it is today.
Suggested Responses
- In conclusion, positive psychology in the form of mindfulness can be very useful and relevant in school for a wide range of ages and leads to a range of positive effects. However its use must be more widely tested in a more scientific manner before we can be sure it will be relevant in all contexts.
- As a result, more research is needed on a larger scale to establish whether we really can call positive psychology relevant in the workplace. However in a society where people are working increasingly long hours it could be argued that it has never been more relevant than it is today.